This photo has appeared in the latest issue of the local REMEMBER WHEN:

I found details of the stranding on wrecksite.eu so I have been able to respond with the following details:With reference to your query on page 11 of the issue of REMEMBER WHEN dated 20 February 2018, the photo shows the collier PEARL aground at Kettleness, near Whitby. She was on passage from Blyth to Cowes with a cargo of coal and ran ashore because of fog. The incident happened at about 2.00am on 31 March 1911. The Runswick lifeboat attended the casualty and rescued the 13 men on board. During the following week efforts were made to salvage her cargo of coal by removing side plates from her hull. The coaster was herself salvaged and returned to service until 23 September 1916 when the PEARL was captured by a German submarine 41 miles roughly south from The Nab, and then sunk by bombs.She was a vessel of 613 gross tons, with a length of 55 metres. She had been launched with the name EVELYN in Londonderry but was completed as the PEARL in March 1904. She was owned by Wetherall SS Co Ltd., of Goole (hence the W on her yellow funnel).

The stranding of "Pearl" attracted the attention of the local press, principally the Whitby Gazette. Unusually, in an era when maritime casualties were commonplace, and when photographs published in the press were generally few and far between, the Hull Daily Mail included a photo of the ship in their Monday 3rd April edition. Credited to Appleyard of Goole, the background landscape suggests she is navigating the Ouse, to or from Goole.

The Whitby Gazette report very much accords with Ron's summary from wrecksite.eu. It added that she ran ashore at the point known locally as "Kettleness End", and that the rescue, from time of signalling for assistance to rehousing the lifeboat, lasted around two hours, which seems pretty slick, The Kettleness Life-Saving Apparatus was also mustered, but it was the lifeboat which brought the crew off and landed them at Runswick.

As with the press of today prone to error, so with the Whitby Gazette which identified the "Pearl" as being bulit on the Tyne by Wood, Skinner in 1898. This was in fact her predecessor, sold by J H Wetherall in 1904.

The lifeboat involved was the "Hester Rothschild", this being her first active rescue mission, having been commissioned at Runswick, being named by Lady Palmer of Grinkle Hall, early in November the previous year. The new lifeboat at time of entering service was described as:-"...of the self-righting type, and is of a somewaht new design. She has been made very light, and specially designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's surveyor for both rowing and sailing. Her total length is 35ft by 8ft 10ins beam".According to contemporary report, she was the fourth boat of the type and the first to be stationed in England, the others having gone to Scottish stations. "She is fitted with a drop-keel for sailing, and has ten coble-fitted oars, having four water ballast tanks. These tanks act automatically, filling with about one ton of water on entering the sea, the contents being discharged on the boat being hauled on to the beach. She is of very light draught, and weighs 3tons 11-1/2cwt, accommodating eighteen men on the gunwale to bring it awash, with the crew and gear in place, and nineteen to similarly bring the deck awash". A new lifeboat house was commissioned at the same time, to accomoodate this larger boat.

As well as endeavouring to salve the "Pearl" by removing plates to speed cargo discharge, the Sunderland registered salvage vessel "George Lindsay" was employed on a Lloyds Open Form "no cure no pay" basis. Reported as operated by Lindsay, Carver, Hill and Co., Fairplay reported her sale later the same year by their Managing Owner, George Lindsay, Jun. to the Sea Salvage Co. Ltd. She was described as having been built and engined in 1872 by Janssen & Schmilinsky, Hamburg, of 187 tons gross and 26 tons net, with engines 16-1/2ins. and 23ins by 16ins. stroke.Originally named "President Kind" she became the "George Lindsay" O.No.114633 on acquisition in 1901.

As reported by Ron, salvage of the "Pearl" proved successful. The Whitby Gazette in one of its Easter editions, reported that she was refloated at half past four on Good Friday afternoon, 14th April 1911, being taken North by the two tugs, unfortunately not named, which pulled her off.

The "Pearl", as already stated, was lost during the First World War. The "Hester Rothschild", according to "The Story of the Staithes and Runswick Lifeboats" by Jeff Morris, served Runswick until 1933, being involved in 31 rescues, and saving 114 lives. The "George Lindsay" having been renamed "Sea Salvage" lasted until 1929, when her Register was closed. Being, by then, 47 years of age, it is assumed she was sold for demolition.